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Everton Football Club is helping to support the city's food banks by making a donation to the housing charity Shelter.

The club's charitable arm Everton in the Community made a food bank pledge for the month of March, supporting a number of organisations.

Donations from fans, staff and organisations left the club in a position to provide families that Shelter helps with items including tin of soups and essentials for making a host of meals for families who are homeless or at risk of losing their home.

It is now believed that around 13 million people live below the poverty line in the UK, with food banks alone feeding 346,992 people nationwide. Of those helped, 126,889 were children.

Rising costs of food, fuel and house-price inflation, combined with static income, high unemployment and changes to the benefits system, are causing more and more people to access food banks, or turn to charities like Shelter, for help.

Andy Griffiths, Team Leader for the Liverpool Family Support Service branch of Shelter, arrived at Goodison to officially accept the items on behalf of his organisation.

Andy, who is an Everton season-ticket holder, spoke of the importance of raising awareness of an all-too common situation

“We’re really grateful to Everton Community for their support and for the donations that will make a big difference to the families we help,” he said.

“In Liverpool, Shelter helps families who are homeless or at risk of losing their home, as well as offering advice for anyone experiencing a housing problem. We’re there so that no one has to fight bad housing on homelessness on their own.”

Further Everton in the Community donations will take place throughout the month.

For more information on this initiative contact Everton in the Community’s Sport Development manager Jackie Twort via email at Jackie.twort@evertonfc.com